Advice on live building warrant projects
Contact your local authority ​​​for advice relating to a specific building warrant or building project.  Local authorities are responsible for administering and enforcing the Scottish building standards system.

We create the building standards regulations and technical guidance, to ensure buildings are safe, efficient and sustainable.  

Actions

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Important documents and related websites are on the building standards document collection page.

Consult with your local authority

Local authorities are currently appointed as verifiers by Scottish Ministers for a set period. Local authority verifiers are responsible for granting permission for work to be done (building warrant) and for a completed building to be occupied (completion certificate).

Guidance on building work

We have created the Customer Journey which explains the building standards system to anyone making home improvements or starting building work. There is guidance on what makes a good quality application. Further information on the building standards system can be found on the the mygov.scot portal.

The regulations, standards and supporting guidance in our Technical Handbooks apply based upon the date on which a building warrant application is submitted or when work not requiring a building warrant is commenced. Current, pending and previous editions of the Technical Handbooks can be accessed in our collection of building standards guidance.

The Procedural Handbook provides clarification on the procedures underpinning the Scottish building standards system as set out in the Building (Procedures) (Scotland) Regulations 2004 and the Building (Scotland) Act 2003 to assist with practical operation.

eBuilding standards

eBuildingStandards is a free service that is managed by the Scottish Government in partnership with all Scottish local authorities. The portal allows you to complete and submit building warrant applications, completion certificates and other related forms associated with the end to end process of the building standards system. 

Improving the building standards service

The Building Standards Futures Board, set up at the beginning of 2019, strategically advises and directs a broad programme of work aimed at improving the performance, expertise, resilience and sustainability of the Scottish building standards framework and services across Scotland.

Background

The Building (Scotland) Act 2003 came into force in 2005. The Act focuses on the health and safety of buildings, the conservation of fuel and power within buildings and sustainable development.

Bills and legislation

The Building (Scotland) Act 2003 is the primary legislation under which Scotland's building standards system operates.

One of its functions is to give ministers power to make secondary legislation to support the Act. You can find this on the UK legislation website.

We create legislation for dangerous and defective buildings, and for the energy performance of non-domestic buildings to improve the existing building stock, under section 63 of the Climate Change (Scotland) Act 2009.

We have provided a list of Scottish building standards legislation

Contact

Email: buildingstandards@gov.scot
Twitter: @ScotGovBLdgStds

Telephone: 0300 244 4000

Post:
Scottish Government
Building Standards Division
Almondvale Business Park
Denholm House
Livingston
West Lothian
EH54 6GA

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